Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Dec. 26, 1933. R. A. MccANN' ET AL 1,940,915

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed Feb. 19 1931 I "ENTORJ 62- &- WWW La M A 'I'TORNEY.

Patented Dec. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES RAILWAY 'rimmc CONTROLLING APPARATUS Itonald' A. McCann, Swissvale, and Henry S.

Young, Wilkinsburg, Pa;,

assigno'rs to :The

Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissval Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 19,, 1931', Serial No. 516,912 Renewed August -8, 1932 9 Claims. 1.v 246-3) track. These rails are divided by the usual in-] go sulating rail vjoints 3 to form three track sections L2T, 1T and R2Tof which the section 1T maybe termed a detector track section and f the sections L2T and R2T may. be termed fap preach track sections. Located in the detector reversed diverts traffic from the main track into a siding PS.

Each track section is, provided with the usual:

track circuit. In connection with the two approach track sections L2T and R2T the track circuit includes a battery 4. connected across the rails at one end of the, section and a. track relay designated by the referencecharacter 'ITR' plus an exponent corresponding to' the'section, conthe section. The track circuit for the section 1T includes a track battery 4 connected, across the,

rails 5 and 6 of the siding, which rails are connected to the rails 1 and 2 respectively ofthe relay 1TB connected across. the rails at the right.- hand end ofthe section 1T. 7

The switch SW-is operated by any standard type of switch. machine indicated in the drawing by a symbol and designatedby the reference character SM., As the operating circuits 'ofthe switch machine formno part of our invention,

they are omitted from the drawing for the sake of clearness, it. being. understood that they may be-any oneof the several types. in general use.

' The control of the. switch machine SM is, preferably by means of a direct. current polarized relay W. With the relay W energized with ncr mal polarity of current, thenits polarized arma-- tures are ,moved to. a normal position, which One feature of our invention, is the ,provi-. sion of noveland useful means for checking the track section IT is a switch SW which when nected across the rails at the opposite end of main track at, the fouling point, and a track" position.

is the left-hand position in'the drawing to close the normal operating circuits. (not shown) of the switch machine SM, With the relay W energized with reverse polarity of current, its polarized armatures are shifted toa reverse position that is the right-hand positionin the drawing, to. close the reverse operating circuits of the switch machine SM. The relay W is controlled in turn preferablyby means of code-relays 6Y and 6X which themselves are controlled from some distant point such as a despatcherls oflice. With the normal code relay 6X selected and its armatures 7 andv 8 raised to engage their front contacts, current is supplied to the relay W from the positive terminal B of a convenient source of power, not shownin the drawing, throughthe back contact of the armature 9- of the reverse code relay BY, front contact of the armature 7 of the normal code relay 6X, front contact of the armature ll of the track relay 1TB, front contact of the armature 12 of an approach locking relay LMRtobe described later, wire 13, front contact of the armature l4. of a. second approach locking relay RMR also to. be described later, winding of the relay W, front contact of the armature 8-of. the relay IGX, back contact of the armature' lo of the 'relay 6Y and to the.

negative terminal C of the source of power The polarity of the current supplied by this circuit is such asto position the armatures of the relay W in the normal position; resulting thereby in the l switch SM being set normal. It will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing that. with the reverse code relay 6Y' selected andthe normal coderelay 6X remaining deen'ergize d,v the current supplied bythe above circuit to the relay W'will be of reverse polaritythereby reversing the polarized rmatur of the relay Wand consequently positioning the switch SW in its reverse It. will be understood however, that other means may be used to control the relay W such as for example, controllers operated by levers of a tower 7 machine, without departing from the scope 'of' our inventicn' The. method shown in the drawing, serves to illustrate all of the ways the switch I may ,be controlled from a remote. point.

.Thecontrollers 67:, 73-,Qand 78 are connected mechanically to the switch SW as indicated by a,-

dotted line and, are: operated thereby. With the,

switch in its normal position, the controllers 00- reverse position, :then. the controllers 67 and??? are shifted to a lower position as by:

control ci cuits form no part of ourinventionQ the dotted lines in the drawing and '78 opens its circuit.

Traffic moving from the right to the left over the switch is governed by the signals L2A and L2B. Traffic moving from the'leftto the right on the main track is governed by the signal RZA and trafiic moving from the siding tothe main track is governed by the signal RZB. These sig:

nals may be any of the standard types in general use and are controlled in accordance to the usual point, such asthe despatchersgoffice or by controllers operated by levers of a tower machine or any other remote control system: butas their they are omitted from the drawing; I

The position of the signals RZA and R23 is checked by the relay RGP whichis normally energi'zed by a circuit that includes the controller y, 15 operated bythe mechanism of the signal R213 are closed only when their respective signals are'in the stop position. In'like manner, the

troller 17 operated by the signal MB and the controller 18 operated by the signal LZA and Y which controllers are'closed only when their re-,

spe'ctive signals are .in the stop position.

Associated with each direction of traffic is an approach control relay and an approach locking relay. The approach'co'ntrol relay'RAR as-' sociateol with trafiic from the left to the right is 45 normally energized by a circuit that includes the front contact of the 'arrnature 19 of the track relay RZTR of 'the'approachsectionR2T. The} approach control relay LAB, associated with traffic from'the right'tdthe left is normally en- 1 ""ergized by a circuit thatinc'ludes front contact of the armature 20 ofthe track 'irel'ay L ZTR of the approach track section L2T.,

The approach locking relay1 RM R associated withleftto right-trafiic is normally energized by a'stickcircuit that extends'from the j positive terminal B through-an armature 21 of the'relay, RGP, wire 22', irontcontact of its' o wn armature 23, wire 24, winding of the relay RMRandto the v negative terminalC; The pick 'up' circuit for the 'approach locking relay RMR extends from thesame positive terminal B through'the' armature 21, to the'wire 22 from which"point" there are provided three parallel paths, one of which in- 79 and 29 c onnectingto thewire :24 which leads to the winding or the relay; A second parallel wire 22'along wire 27, bac 'contact of the armae'; *tu're 28 0f the relay 1TB, and-wire 29 connec ing to the wire 2%. v Thethird parallel path ex} tends fromfth'e wire 22 along'wires 27 and 30, front contact ofthefarmature 31 of a time eleentdevicj'e TE to be described later and wires 32 and 29 to the wire 24.

' and the front contact of the armature 14 of the and thecontroller 16 operated b'y'the mechanism of .the signal 32A in series, and'which controllersv th egrelay RGP, wire 43', front contact of the armavided with a pickup circuit that extends from the same positive terminal B through the armature v 33 to the wire 34 from which point three parallel paths extend one of which includes a front contact of the armature 3'? of the approach controlrelay LAR and to the wire 36, leading to the winding of the relay. The second parallel path extends from the wire 34 through a back contact of the armature 38 of the track relay -ITR and to the wire 36', while the third parallel path extends from the wire 34 along the wire 39,

front contact of the armature 49 of the time device TEand wire 1 to the wire 35. r

' Attention is herefcalled to the fact thatthe control circuit previously traced for the switch. control relay W includes the front contact of the armature 12 of the approach locking relay LIVER 16G approach locking relay RMR. It follows then that with either of theapproach locking relays deenergized the controlcircuit for the relay W, is open and no operation of the switch SW can take place;

Associated with the approach locking relays RMR and LMR is a time element device TE; This time element device TE may be any one of several types well known to the art. In this instance, it is a relay that brings its armatures into engagement with front contacts some predetermined time interval after 'the energizing'circuit is closed. The time interval'is of. such duration that a train will be .over the switch and gone or else will have had time to come to a stop to. the rear of a signal. When traific is from the left to the right in' the drawing; the energizing circuit for therelay TE extends from the positive terminal B through a the armature 21 of relay RGPg'wire 22'," armature. 23 of the relay RMR when engaging its back contact, wire 53, winding of the relay TE invite the negative terminal CL When traihc is from the right to the left, the energizing circuit for the relay TE extends from the positive terminal B through the armature 33 of relay LGP, wire 34, armature 35 of relay LMR in engagement with its back contact; wires 54 and 53, winding of relay 'TE and to the negative terminal C A feature of our invention is to check the deenergized position of the approach locking relayslsd V V I I V energized by a stick circuit that extends from the chides the "armature 25' of the approach control 7 "relay 'RAR, wire 26, switch controller '78, wires positive terminal B through the armature 42 of wrest-for the relay LGP. wire 4:5, front contact of y H its own armature 49, winding of the relay MS? and to the negative terminal (3. The relay is further provided'with two holdingcircuits', one

of which extends from the positive terminal B through a back contactof the armature 45 oi the approach'locking relay RMR, front contact of the armature 47' of the directional relay RS, wire i 48, winding of the relay MS? and to the negative terminal C; The second holding circuit for that.

stick circuit to the control" relay MS? is may MSP extends from the positive terminal-B through aback Contact of the armature o rthe approachlocking relay LMR, front contactiof' thearmature 51 of the directional relay LS, wires 52' and 48, winding of the relay andto the negative terminal 0;

proach locking relay deenergized, so that both thepick-up circuit and the stick circuit are open, the control 1 relay MSP is retained energized by. a'

holding circuit. Also, the. stick circuit will prevent relay MSP from being 'reenergized: once it hasbecome deenergized after a directional relay.

has b'eenselected; and the pick-up circuit reenergizes the'relay in the event of its becomingdeenergized for any-reason -un'der normal conditions. This control relayMSP controls the signal controlling circuits as will shortly appear.

The control of the H relays governingthe signals'RZA and R23 is by means of a circuit that extends from the positive terminal B through'the armature-55 of therelay LGP, wire 56, back con tact of the armature 57" of the: opposing direc-,

tional relay LS, wire 58, front contact of the arma- 62, back contact of the armature 63 of the'relay -TE,-wire 64; front contact of the armature 65 of the directional relay Rsg'wire 66, controller{67,

wire "68 assuming the switch SW to benormal. winding of the rela'yfR2AH and to the negative terminal C. In the event the switch isl -reversed so that the controller '67 occupies the positionshown dotted in the drawing, then the circuit extends from controller: 6'7 along the wire 69 to the I energized. The operation of the approach lockrelay RZBI-I and to the negative terminal C. The

control circuit'for the- H relays that govern the signals L2A and L2B extends from the positive terminal B, through the front contact of the armature 70 of the relay .RGP; wire 71, back contact of the armature 650i the opposing directional relay RS, wire 64; armature '63, wire 62', armaturefil, 1

terminal 0.: In case the switch SW is reversed and the controller '73 occupies theposition shown by the' dotted line, then the circuit extends from.

controller 73 along wire 75,'winding of.the relay LZBH and to the. common terzriinalO. As the: centrol circuit for each of the'H relays includes the front contact of the armature 59'of the relay MSP; it follows that no-one 'of the signals canbe 1 cleared o'rretainedin the proceed'position unless.

the relay MSP is energized; I Let us assume that fit is desired to energizing of the relay RZAH'results in the clearing of the'signalRZA. As thesignal .RZA.

clears, the controller 16 operated by' its 'mecha- I advance a. train past the switch. on themain track from the left toithe right; The selectingbf the di rectional relay RS closes the'circuit for the relay RZAH bytheccir'cuit traced above and the:

opened at the front contact of the armature 42' and-that relay will become deenergi'z'ed to release -itsarmatures at the end ofitsslow-release period unless some'other circuit is provided as its pick up circuit is also open at armature'lfi. The deenerg'izing of the relay RGPalso opens the stick circuit of the approach locking relay RMR at the front contact of the armature 21. As -the'armature 21 is also. included in each of the pick-up circuits of therelay RMR, it follows that relay RMR becomes deenergized when RGP is deenergized'. As the directional relay RS is now up, the deenergizing of. the approach looking relay RMR to bring'itsarmature- 46 into engagement with its back contact, closes a holding circuit to the relayxMSP and thus relay MSP is retained energized. In the event that the approach locking 'relay RMR fails to open for any reason,. then the holding circuit for the relay MSP isnot closed .and that relay becomes deenergized, and its armatures drop at the end of its release period. With the relay MSP .down,

the circuit for the'signal. control relay R2AH is open at thefront contact of the armature .59. resulting thereby in the signal jR2A being set in the-stop position. It follows that tosclear the signal R2Av to permit .a train to move .over the' switchSWfrom the. leftto the right requires that'the approach locking relay RMR must be 103 deenergizedua'nd consequently an operation of the switch .cannot takeplace and. that in the event theiapproach locking. relay RMR fails to open the, relay MSP. functions to. set the signal RZA in the. stdpposition; 1 j 1 The selecting of. the directional vrelay RS when the switch 'SW'is reversed results in' the signal relay R2BH being energized and the signal R213 being cleared to permit a train to move fromthe siding to the main track. As the signal RZB clears, the circuit-to the relay RGP is opened at the controller l5and the relay 'RGP becomes deing relay RMR and the relay MSP that follows the deenergizing of the relay' RGP is identically the same asthat just described when the signal ,R2A was' cleared.

JAgain assume that the the apparatus are in the position in which they are shown in,

the. drawing and that it is desired to move, a train from the right to; the left on themain track. With .theswitch SW normal and the directional relay LS selected to raise its armaturesto enlocking relayLMR, becomes deenergized to close theback contact of its armature 50, the hold ingcircuit for the relayMSP that includes the I back contact of-armature 59 and the front con tact of the armature 51 of the, relay LS is closed and thereby the-relay MSP is retained enter-- gized. .,;In the event the approach locking relay LMR fails to .open, so as to-close the holding circuitfor relay MSP-at backcontactof armature.

50, it follows that the relay. MSP willbecome deenergized to open the control circuit of the relay,

L2AI-I at the front .contact :of its armature .59., 1156".

In like manner, the deenergized positionof. the approach locking relay LMR is assured when traffic isrdirected from the right to the left with the switch SW reversed, as the clearing of the signal LZB opens the circuit to the relay LGP.

at thercontroller 17 to'deenergize the relay LGP and thereby set up the same condition as de-' scribed inconnection withthe clearing of the signal L2A. q I

Again assuming that the apparatus occupies its normal position as shown in the drawing and that the directional relay LS is selected with the switch SW normal so that the signal L2A is cleared for traffic from the right to the left on the'main track, if the train approaches and advances into the track section 1T to shunt the track relay 1TB, the circuit .to the signal relay LZAI-I is opened at the armature 61' resulting thereby in the signal L2A being set at stop.

As the signal L2A assumes the stop position, the' relay LG-P is reenergized and as the relay LGP picks up, the pick-up circuit for the approach locking relay LMR is closed at the armature 33 and at the back contact of thearmature 38 of i its normal condition.

Assuming that after the signal L2A has been cleared and the train had advanced intothe approach section L2T, it'then'became necessary to change the route, the despatcherby deenergiziing' the relay LS will set 'thesignal at stop and the relay LGP will be picked up. The approach locking relay LMR will remain however in its deenergized position] With relay LGP up and the relay LlWR down, then the circuit is closed jto the time element device TE and at the end of the predetermined time interval, the armature 40 of the relay TE will engage its front contact to close the pick-up circuit for the approach locking relay LMR and that relay is re'energized,

After the relay LMR has become energized, then the switch control relayW can be operated in the usual manner. functions for a train moving from the left to the right. i

ition.

Having thus described our invention, what we Such apparatusas here described provides a positive check on the position of the approach locking relay, the utility of which will be apparent'to all familiar with the'art.

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying our invention, it isunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invenclaim is:

-1-. In combination, a railway switch, a signal to govern traiiic over said switch, a normally energized approach locking relay, means to govern the operation of said switch effective to move said switch only when said relay is energized, a sig-- means responsive to the de'energizing of said relayto render said checking means ineffective to rupture said signaling circuit.

In a like manner, the apparatus 2. In combination, a track 'section'included in two difierent routes, a signal for each route to govern traflic through the section, an approach locking relay, meansto select one or the other'of, said-routes adaptable to select a route onlywhen said approach locking relay is energized, a signal circuit for each signal adapted when closed to clear the signal, circuit meansrendered effective by the closing of arsignaling circuitto deenergize said approach locking relay and to rupture the closed signaling circuit if said relay fails to release, and means responsive torthe deenergizing of said approach locking relay to retain the signaling circuitrclosed irrespective. of

said circuit means.

3. In combination, a track section over which trafiic moves in either direction, a signal at each end of the section to governtrafiic in opposite, 7 directions through the section, an approach locking relay for each direction of traffic to control the section, a signaling circuit for each signal adapted when closed to clear the signal; a normally energized control relay, circuit means controlled by each signaling-circuit and responsive to the clearing of a signal to deenergize the control relay and the associated approach locking relay, means responsive to the deenergizing of either approach locking relay to retain said con-, trolrelay energized irrespective of said circuit means, and means controlled by said control relay to rupture said signal circuitsupon the deenergizing of, that relay.

4.'In combination, a track; section including a, track switch, a track circuit for said section, a

signal to govern traffic through the section, a signaling circuit to control said signal adapted when closed to clear the signal, a normally energized approach locking relay provided with a stick circuit includinga contact controlled by the signal,

and a pick-up circuit including'a contact closed 115,

= relay is deenergized.

5. In combination,-a railway switch, a signal to govern trafiic over the switch, a signaling circuit to open said contact upon the closing of said signaling circuit to deenergize saidrelay, a control relay provided with a normally closed stick circuit j including a contact controlled by said'signaling circuit and a holding circuit including afback contact of ,the approach flocking relay and ar- 14o ranged to be de'energized upon the closing of said signaling circuit unless the approach locking relay is deenergized to close the said back contact, 1 means to rupture said signaling circuit upon the deenergizing of said control relay, and means to 1 5 govern the operation of the switch-ineffective to move the switchas long as said approach locking relay is deenergized. f :j 6. In combination, arailway switch, a signal to govern trafiic oversaid switch, a directional relay 11 adapted when energized to clear the signal, a normally energized approach locking relay adapted when deenergized to prevent operation of the switch; a normally energized control relay having a normally closed stick circuit, a holding circuit and a pick-up circuit; means rendered efiective by the clearing of the-signal to open said stick circuit, means responsive to the deenergizing of said approach locking relay to close said holding circuit, means responsive to the deenergizing of the directional relay to close said pick-up circuit, and means controlled by said control relay adapted to permit the clearing of said signal only who said control relay is energized.

r 7. In combination, a. railway track switch, a

signal for governing traflic movements over said switch, an approach locking relay, a circuit for energizing said approach locking relay if and only if said signal is indicating stop a control relay for said signal, a slow release relay, a pickup circuit for said slow release relay including a front contact of said control relay and a back contact of said approach locking relay, a stick circuit for said slow release relay energized if and only if said signal is indicating stop a second pick-up circuit for said slow release relay includ- 8. In combination, a railway signal for goveming trafiic movements over a given stretch of track, a control relay for said signal, an approach locking relay, a circuit closed only if said signal indicates stop for energizing said approach locking relay, a circuit controlled by a front contact of said control relay for causing said signal to display a proceed indication, and means controlled by said control relay and by said approach locking relay for causing said signal to display a stop indication unless said approach locking relay closes its back contacts within a measured period of time after said signal ceases to display a stop indication.

I 9. In combination, a railway signal for governing traffic movements over a given stretch of track, a control relay for said signal, an approach locking relay, a circuit closed only if said signal indicates stop for energizing said approach locking relay, a checking relay, a circuit including a back contact of said approach locking relay and a front contact of said control relay for energizing said checking relay, a second circuit including a back contact of said control relay for energizing said checking relay, and a circuit including a front contact of said control relay and a front signal to display a proceedindication;

contact of said checkingrelay for causing said 

